Literature circles- The absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Chapter 1
summary
At the beginning of the book
the main character talks about how he was born. He writes that when he
was born he had too many fluids in his skull. The doctors had to let the water
out of his skull or he would die. The parents agreed solemnly and at the age of
6 months he got operated.
The operation lead to some brain damage and improper growth.
His feet were huge, he was short, and he had a really big head. His head was so
big, in fact, that the bullies would turn his head and say “I am going to go
over there”. They would often punch him in the eye. The main character even
wrote that whenever they would punch him, he would re-enter the club called
“Black-Eye-of-the- Month Club”.
But in addition to all the negative things, the main
character also tells us one positive thing about himself which is that he likes
to draw. He tells us that nothing can be better explained and understood than a
picture.
Chapter 2
summary
In this chapter the main character mainly talks about how his
whole family is poor and how they sometimes skip dinners. He makes an
interesting (and sad) statement that when the family has chicken for dinner, he
feels like as if god came to aid him.
He also talks about how his best friend, Oscar, is seriously
sick. When he touches him, Oscar bursts out in pain. He asked his parents if
there was any way to help his friend, but they just shook their heads solemnly.
The boy's dad then decides to put an end to the poor kids suffering by shooting
him. At first, the main character disagreed, but then saw the reasoning behind
it. As he carried Oscar out of his house, he licked him in sign of friendship.
He put him down and ran as fast as he could from there. As he started to shed
his tears, he heard the sound of a gun ring in the air.
Chapter 3
summary
This chapter is about how the main character goes with his
friend Rowdy to a festival called powwow. Rowdy is very impulsive. They watch
dancers dancing like chickens and soon get bored. Rowdy goes to get some drinks
but trips and falls on the floor. Angry like hell, he grabs a shovel and starts
hitting ferociously a van. The main character runs away and soon finds himself
bullied by three thirty year old men. Rowdy avenges him by cutting the eyebrows
and hair of each one of them.
Rowdy's good side is that he likes comic books. The main character
makes comic books for Rowdy and reads them with him.
Chapter 4
summary
This chapter is about how he goes to his first day of high
school and goes to his algebra class. The algebra teacher is quite strange. He
sometimes doesn’t come to school so someone has to run all the way to his house
to remind him that school has started. The main character defines him as
sleepy.
The teacher hands out algebra books to the students. The main
character suddenly gets furious because these books were old. The book reminds
him of his old mother, so he throws it in the teachers face.
Chapter 5
summary
The main character's misbehavior in algebra gets him
suspended for a week. He sits on a chair and sees the teacher coming towards
his house. The main character slowly walks towards him. The teacher sits down
and starts telling him about his sister. He tells him that his sister wanted to
be a writer. She wanted to write romance novels. At the end of the teacher’s
speech, he tells the main character that he has to leave his home in search of
hope.
Chapter 6
summary
In this really brief chapter the main character tells his
parents that he wants to change schools. He wants to go to Reardan which is a
rich school but which is reserved only for white people. The parents agree.
Chapter 7
summary
In this really brief chapter we finally discover the main
character's name: Junior. Junior goes to Rowdy and tells him that he is going
to another school. Rowdy's first thought is that Junior is kidding. When he
notices his friend's serious face, he get's so angry that he punches Junior in
the face and runs away.
Chapter 8
summary
In this chapter, Junior goes for the first time in the “white
people” school. There Junior meats a beautiful girl called Penelope.
Unfortunately, every child is avoiding him (including Penelope) because he is
Indian.
When the homeroom teacher asks his name he sais that his name
is Junior, and everybody starts to laugh like crazy. Junior couldn’t figure out
why, “Junior” was a common name in his old school.
As the days went by people started to calling him names.
Junior ignored them until someone took things too far, a boy said:
“You want to hear a joke?”
“Sure”. Junior said.
“Did you know that Indians are living proof that niggers fuck
buffalo?”
Junior got so angry that he punched the guy in the face. The
kid was stunned and as he slowly rose from the ground he said to Junior that he
was an animal.
Chapter 9
summary
In this chapter Junior goes home, and tells his grandmother
what happened that day. She said that the guy who was bullying Junior now
respected him because Junior showed him that he is not afraid on anything.
Junior goes the next day to school, afraid that the guy was
going to beat him up badly. But instead, the guy just said hi and walked away.
Chapter 10
summary
In this brief chapter Junior tells us how he loved a bronze
girl named Dawn when he was twelve years old. Junior tells to Rowdy his secret.
Rowdy said to Junior to forget her because she doesn’t give a shit about him.
Junior at that point starts to cry.
Chapter 11
summary
This chapter starts with Junior being at science class. The
teacher sais that petrified would exists but Junior sais that that is not true.
The teacher gets furious and asks the smartest kid in class, Gordy, if what
Junior was saying was true are not. Gordy obviously agrees with Junior.
When Junior came from school he saw her mother crying. He
asked her what was wrong and she replied that Junior’s sister got married.
Junior was shocked but didn’t say anything.
The next day, Junior asks Gordy if he wants to be his friend.
Gordy said yes. Gordy then teaches Junior how to read and write. He also
explains to Junior that books are a big mystery.
Chapter 12
summary
In this chpter Junior receives an email from her sister in
which it says that she is in Montana. She rode a horse and had a honeymoon in a
hotel. She also said that she ate fried bread which is better than their
grandmothers.
Chapter 13
summary
In this chapter Junior is eating turkey with his family
because it is thanksgiving. Later that day, he drew a picture of Rowdy and him.
He missed him. So he went to Rowdy’s home to give him the picture. Rowdy’s dad
opened the door and said that Rowdy wasn’t there. Junior gave the drawing to
Rowdy’s father and said to give it to him when he returns. As Junior left the
house, he turned around and saw Rowdy staring at him, his face full of sadness.